October- December 2014 Edition
The Newsletter of the Canberra Sikh Association
Phones: President: 0411 773 260 Vice President: 0403 588 352
Message from the CSA Vice
President
S. Amardeep Singh
Respected Saadh Sangat Ji,
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa,
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh
With the grace of the Almighty Waheguru and the
support of Saadh Sangat ji, the Canberra Sikh
community has witnessed a very busy and momentous
2014, on behalf of CSA I wish everyone a very happy
new year. It is with immense pleasure I am sharing with
you the accomplishments of Canberra Sikh Association
over the last quarter. On behalf of the President who is
currently overseas I would like to thank all those who
bestowed their faith and confidence upon the
committee and enabled us to work with the community
for the advancement of the Gurdwara.
The CSA Executive Committee’s main objective this year
has been to fully engage with members of the
community and collectively promote Sikh principles and
ethos. Soon after its inception the new CSA Executive
Committee decided to establish subcommittees for
various elements of the Gurdwara including the Punjabi
School, langar, Gurdwara hall maintenance, general
house-keeping and other ongoing tasks to ensure the
smooth running of day to day proceedings. An email was
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circulated and announcements were made in
the Gurdwara inviting volunteers to join the
subcommittee.
A significant number of Sangat members
volunteered to do sewa within the subcommittees. The new CSA Executive
Committee commenced with a very positive
frame of mind with the intention to be
inclusive and accommodative for diverse points
of views.
Accordingly, the progress of the construction of
Gurdwara Sahib along with visits of Ragi Jathas,
advancement in the Punjabi school and
involvement of the Canberra Sikh community
in federal affairs of Sikh interest has taken
place. Following is an overview of the
progressions mentioned:
The construction/maintenance work of the
Gurdwara has greatly progressed and this
is evident in the preparation of the parking
area and the completion of the new
retaining wall along with other work that is
in progress. A major task of beautification
and utilising the space in front of Gurdwara
Sahib is also underway.
Furthermore, community religious events
have taken place along with visits of Raagi
Jathas which have played a vital role in
October - December 2014 Edition
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The Newsletter of the Canberra Sikh Association
helping the Canberra Sikh community to embrace
Sikh traditions and unite as one community. The
committee along with devout Sewdaars took an
initiative to hold langar for the congregation on
events such as Diwali, Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Prakash
Divas and New Year’s Eve (till midnight) during
which a huge number of Sangat was seen.
SIKH NEWS
www.sikhnet.com
Facing Intolerance, Many Sikhs
and Hindus Leave Afghanistan
January 15, 2015 by Margherita Stancati
The committee will continue to do sewa by inviting
Raagi Jathas and Parcharaks for the benefit of the
Sangat of Canberra. Recently, the Canberra
Gurudwara enjoyed the gurbani vichaar of Veer
Bhupinder Sigh over a three day smagam.
and Ehsanullah Amiri Source:
Facebook profile features a photo of the
The Canberra Punjabi School also completed the
academic year on a successful note fulfilling it
objective of promoting Punjabi, Gurmukhi script and
study of Sikh scriptures, tradition and ethos. We
continuously attempt to promote teaching and
learning at the school by ensuring quality education,
satisfaction of students and parents, and by holding
award ceremonies to acknowledge the progress of
students.
I would like to thank all committee members and
volunteers from the Sangat who selflessly offer their
time and work with such devotion for the betterment of
the whole community.
www.wsj.com
Jan. 12, 2015: KABUL— Rawail Singh, a leader
of Kabul’s Sikh community, is a big supporter of
recently sworn-in President Ashraf Ghani : His
president holding his 4-year-old daughter
during a campaign rally.
But despite Mr. Ghani’s pledge to make
Afghanistan more inclusive, Mr. Singh says he
worries that his tiny religious minority could
disappear as more Sikhs and Hindus leave their
homeland because of persistent discrimination.
“If the new government of Afghanistan doesn’t
pay attention to this issue, obviously one day
there will be no Sikh or Hindu left in
Afghanistan,” he said.
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki
Fateh
Amardeep Singh
Vice President
Canberra Sikh Association
CSA EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
2014 - 2015
Islam is Afghanistan’s official religion. Though
the country’s constitution recognizes the right
of members of other faiths to practice freely,
and many moderate Afghan Muslims embrace
diversity, Sikhs and Hindus say they often face
intolerance of their religious practices and
customs here.
For this reason, community leaders say, many
have left in recent years.
See Sanjhi Notice Board on Page 24 for details.
One autumn evening, Sikhs and Hindus lit
candles as they gathered in a temple in Kabul
October - December 2014 Edition
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The Newsletter of the Canberra Sikh Association
for Diwali, the festival of lights that is their most
cargo container in the British port town of
important annual celebration. Every year, members of
Tilbury. One of the migrants, a man, was found
the community say, attendance at Diwali dwindles. So
dead. The U.K. government is currently
does their population in the country. No official data
considering the asylum applications of the
exists, but community members say they are down to
others, said a spokeswoman for the British
around 7,000 people, the majority of whom are Sikhs,
Embassy in Kabul.
from roughly 200,000 before the country’s civil war
Afghanistan’s Sikhs and Hindus stay in small,
began in 1992.
tight-knit communities and participate in many
Otar Singh, the head of Afghanistan’s Hindu and Sikh
community and a former member of parliament, said
conditions are worse under Afghanistan’s democratic
government than they were during the Taliban’s severe
rule in the late 1990s, when the minority group had to
wear yellow arm bands that singled them out as secondclass citizens.
“Under the Taliban our rights were clearly defined, and
people were not cruel to us,” he said.
of the same religious rituals held in a temple
both faiths use. At home they speak mainly
Punjabi, the language of Sikhism’s religious
texts that is native to the Indian subcontinent.
Many Afghan Sikhs feel they straddle two
worlds without being fully accepted in either,
however.
“When we are in India, they call us Afghan,”
said Ram Singh, a 22-year old shopkeeper. “But
In a meeting with representatives of the Sikh and Hindu
when we are in Afghanistan, other Afghans
community in November, Mr. Ghani promised to
consider us outsiders—even if we are Afghans,
address their concerns and reiterated that they’re
too.”
entitled to the same rights as other Afghans, according
to a statement from his office. He also vowed to allocate
funds for the building of a temple in a district in the
volatile eastern province of Nangarhar.
Members of the community say they hope Mr. Ghani’s
stated commitment to defend their rights may slow the
departure.
Since last spring, around 400 more Sikhs and Hindus
have left, according to community leaders. Most joined
the swelling Afghan community in India, their spiritual
home, while some turned to people-smugglers in a bid
to reach the West.
Such voyages have ended tragically. In August, 35
Afghan Sikhs of all ages were discovered in a ship’s
The earliest evidence of the Afghan Sikh and
Hindu community dates back to the 18th
century, when they played a prominent role in
the moneylending and merchant trade that
linked Central Asia with the subcontinent.
However, historians believe their presence
predates that.
These days, they are known for the medicinal
herb shops that many of them own. Most live
in Kabul. Sikhs living elsewhere in the country
say the intolerance they face is particularly
open.
“We can’t live our life with people telling us:
‘Hindu, Hindu! You are an infidel!’ said Wisak
October - December 2014 Edition
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The Newsletter of the Canberra Sikh Association
Singh, an Afghan Sikh who lives in the city of Lashkar
Hindus aren’t from somewhere else,” he said.
Gah, in the southern province of Helmand. “It doesn’t
“This is where we belong.”
just happen occasionally. It happens to us every day.”
Of the 35 Sikh families who still live in Helmand, many
-------------------------------------------------
The main collective grievance Sikhs and Hindus face is
Hunger Strike Comes to an
End
local opposition to the custom of burning their dead.
January 15, 2015 Source: www.sikh
are thinking of leaving, he said.
Many Afghans see the practice as un-Islamic, and have
sought to stop it, periodically calling out insults or
throwing stones at Sikh and Hindu funeral processions.
The community’s crematorium in Kabul is in a walled
garden in what used to be the outskirts of town. But the
city has swollen, and the site is now confined in a
densely populated neighborhood. This has heightened
tensions with locals in recent years. Sikhs now require
police protection during funerals.
But not everyone opposes the ritual.
AMBALA, Haryana (January 15, 2015)—With
no solution in sight for the release of Sikh
political prisoners, Bhai Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa
has ended his 2nd hunger strike after 64
days. Bhai Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa was confined
at the Civil Hospital in Ambala under tight
security since he was brought here for medical
treatment.
In the past few days, Bhai Gurbaksh Singh was
kept isolated from his supporters at Lakhnaur
Sahib, including Bhai Gurpiar Singh and
“They have their own religion and I have mine. They are
Gurpreet Singh Guri. Even now as Bhai
good people and I have no issue with them,” said
Gurbaksh Singh has been discharged from the
Mohammad Sharif, a Muslim security guard at the
hospital in Ambala, Bhai Guri and others
cremation site.
remain under police scrutiny. They were not
Schooling is another recurring issue, Sikhs and Hindus
allowed to enter Haryana earlier today before
say. Most families, worrying that their children will be
Bhai Khalsa finished his hunger strike.
bullied, refuse to let them attend state-run schools,
---------------------------------------------------------------
opting instead for private schools or no school at all.
World Religion Day for
Unity
Wisak Singh said that the children in his family, who also
live in Helmand, are practically illiterate. “We are
teaching them Punjabi at home, and we hired a private
January 21, 2015 by Steve Silva | Reporter
teacher who comes home to teach Pashtun and Dari,”
Global News Source: globalnews.ca
Afghanistan’s two main languages.
January 19, 2015: REGINA – About a dozen
Despite the challenges, Rawail Singh, the community
leader, says he is proud of being Afghan. “I love
Afghanistan because it’s my country. We Sikhs and
different religions were represented at a local
synagogue to celebrate World Religion Day on
Sunday.
October - December 2014 Edition
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The Newsletter of the Canberra Sikh Association
“You will see a lot of people coming here from different
Strange But True
faiths, cultures, and traditions, and they will offer
www.strangefacts.com
prayers. A prayer for peace is the theme for this year for
us,” said Gagan Deep Singh, the chairperson of Regina
Multi-Faith Forum.
•
About 100 people filled the seats at Beth Jacob
•
Synagogue for the annual event, which has been
organized by the forum for about two decades.
•
Recent deadly attacks in France executed in the name of
•
religion have emphasized the need for unity and
understanding among believers of different faiths,
stressed the synagogue’s rabbi Jeremy Parnes.
•
•
“It is a great shame when the great religions of the
world are threatened or to be hijacked by people who
may not be true representatives of those faiths,” he
said.
•
The event included Buddhist, Jain, Sikh, RQHR Spirital
Care, and Muslim prayers.
“We are all breathing the same air, we all are connected
•
together. Sometimes we forget that, we get caught up in
our own, sort of, petty lives or what’s going on in our
own, sort of, small worlds, and that can derail the larger
picture,” said Parnes.
While violent incidents stemming from religious
intolerance or religious extremism is a historical and
•
•
•
topical reality, both Parnes and Singh remain optimistic
peace is possible.
•
“The key thing is to focus on the commonalities. All
religions have a lot of common things inside them, and
•
this event is all about sharing those common things. And
religions are supposed to create unity, not the other
way around,” said Singh.
•
In 32 years. there are about 1 billion
seconds!
Rice paper does not have any rice in
it!
The average person laughs 13 times
a day!
Dogs can hear sounds that you
cant!
Men are 6 times more likely to be
struck by lightning than women!
It is estimated that millions of trees
in the world are accidentally
planted by squirrels who bury nuts
and then forget where they hid
them!
Ernest Vincent Wright wrote a
novel, "Gadsby", which contains
over 50,000 words -- none of them
with the letter E!
Of all the words in the English
language, the word set has the
most definitions!
A toothpick is the object most often
choked on by Americans!
Every 45 seconds, a house catches
on fire in the United States!
The most used letter in the English
alphabet is 'E', and 'Q' is the least
used!
There are more than 50,000
earthquakes throughout the world
every year!
Dogs and cats, like humans, are
either right or left handed... or is
that paws?!
The opposite sides of a dice cube
always add up to seven!
October - December 2014 Edition
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October- December 2014 Edition
The Newsletter of the Canberra Sikh Association
Phones: President: 0411 773 260 Vice President: 0403 588 352
PO Box 1060 • Woden • ACT • 2606
SANJHI – ARTICLES
The Great Sikh Leaders - Part 6
An Article by – S. Amardeep Singh
At last Bhai Sukha Singh and a few other devout Sikhs
suggested that there could be no better place than Amritsar to
raise the fortress. Accordingly, the construction began…….
The construction of the fortress initiated with heart filled devotion
of Sikh volunteers. The need to hire other carpenters and
labourers was eliminated when countless skilled Sikhs, selflessly
began to fabricate the fortress with such reverence. The
volunteers worked with enormous love and coordination that all four walls of the fortress
were raised simultaneously in a very short time. The fortress was named as the ‘Ram
Raoni’ after the name of the fourth guru, Shri Guru Ram Das Ji.
Ram Raoni could accommodate about 500 horses so just about 500 Sikhs could stay
there. The remaining Sikhs went to live in the neighbouring villages and jungles. They
were within the hearing distance of the beat of drums and in case of need, would come
to the aid immediately.
The leadership qualities, bravery and wisdom shown by S. Jassa Singh in this hour of
trial raised his stature further.
October - December 2014 Edition
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The Newsletter of the Canberra Sikh Association
On March 1748, Ahmad Shah, son of king Mohammad Shah of Delhi defeated Ahmad
Shah Durrani. He appointed Mir Moin-uddin (Mir Mannu) as the Governor of Punjab and
returned to Delhi. On reaching Lahore, Mir Mannu put Jaleh Khan and Diwan Lakhpat
Rai in jail, who were appointed by Ahmad Shah Durrani. He imposed a penalty of thirty
lakhs on the Diwan and appointed Diwan Kaurha Mal as his deputy. Lakhpat Rai paid
eighteen lakhs out of thirty lakhs. His house and other property was confiscated for two
lakhs. For the remaining ten lakhs he was awarded life imprisonment.
Diwan Kaurha Mal knew how Lakhpat Rai had caused deaths of hapless and innocent
Sikhs in thousands. So he decided to pay ten lakhs on behalf of Lakhpat Rai on the
condition that he should be handed over to him. Mir Mannu had no objection in this
arrangement. So Diwan Kaurha Mal paid the dues and took charge of Lakhpat Rai. He
then handed him over to the Sikhs. The Sikhs tied his hands and feet, made him sit in
the middle of a deep pit in the ground. The top of the pit was covered leaving a small
hole. Thus the murdered Lakhpat Rai died a death in virtual hell and he had to bear the
fruits of all his deeds.
When Mir Mannu had settled down as Governor of Punjab, he felt concerned at
consistently increasing might of the Sikhs. To consolidate his rule, he decided to
destroy the might of Sikhs. Mir Mannu issued strict orders to the headmen/chieftains of
the area and hill kings that all Sikhs should be arrested and sent to Lahore in chains.
Countless Sikhs were rounded up in a short time. They were all killed. The hill chiefs
and headmen of the area played a major role in this program. Thousands of Sikhs were
killed every day, outside Delhi gate in Shahid Ganj publically in the presence of
numerous spectators.
Coming up next ……Siege of Ram Raoni, Second Invasion of Durrani and how Sikhs
Reached to help Diwan Kaurha Mal.
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The Newsletter of the Canberra Sikh Association
Punjabi and Gurmukhi
An article made available to Sanjhi by - S Madhusudan Singh Sidhu
Punjabi and Gurmukhi
There appears to be a lot of confusion regarding Gurmukhi and Punjabi. The
assumption a lot of people seem to make is that there is a language called Punjabi
(what we use everyday) and there is the language called Gurmukhi - the language used
to write the Guru Granth Sahib.
So are there two languages??
Did the Guru’s use different language called Gurmukhi??
The answer is No.
Before going further, apply some logic yourself, would you (if trying to convey a
message to a lot people) write the message in new language, which everybody would
have to learn before deciphering the message, OR would you write in the most
commonly used language??
Remember this - Punjabi is language (what we speak). Gurmukhi is a script (how we
write Punjabi).
Punjabi is an Indian language, which belongs to the outer-circle of the Indo-Aryan
languages and distantly related English being a member of the same IndoEuropean language family. It is a modern Indo-Aryan language spoken mainly in the
Punjab states of both India and Pakistan. It nearly resembles Hindi and Urdu.
There are 2 main scripts used, Punjabi-speaking Muslims may write Punjabi in the
Perso-Arabic script (as used to write Urdu, writing from right to left), this sometimes is
referred to as Shahmukhi. (I will try to get examples of this, if you have any please send
to me).
Punjabi is also written using Urdu and Hindi scripts. Punjabi speaking Sikhs write
Punjabi in the Gurmukhi script, which was developed by Guru Angad Dev Ji. Contrary
to another popular belief, Guru Ji did not invent Gurmukhi from scratch; he modified the
Landa (lahnda) script. He and polished the landa script to reflect, pronunciation and the
authentic tonal expressions to what is known as Gurmukhi today. The Landa had been
around for centuries before the Guru Ji’s.
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However we must also remember that Punjabi itself has evolved along with time, as any
language does. There will be differences between 16th and 17th century and now.
Also did you also know that there are different dialects of Punjabi?
Here is a brief outline of them.
Majhi
Spoken in the heart of Punjab i.e., Lahore , Sialkot, Gujaranwala, Gurdaspur, Amritsar.
Most of the population of Punjab lives in this area and linguists also say that Majhi
dialect is the “Tixali boli” i.e., it has been influenced by all other dialects
Malwi
Spoken in the east Punjab area of Ludhiana, Ambala, Bathinda, Ganganagar,
Maleerkotla Fazilka, Ferozepur. This area (Malwa) is the southern and central part of
present day Indian Punjab. Also includes the Punjabi speaking areas of Haryana, viz.
Ambala, Hissar, Sirsa, kurukhetra etc. (northern parts of Haryana mainly).
Doabi
Land between the rivers of Beas and Satluj is called Doaba. Do Aaba literally means
“the land between two waters” in Persian. It includes Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur.
Pothohari
The area where Pothohari is spoken extends in the north from Kashmir to as far south as Jehlum and
Gujar Khan and includes the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad. This dialect is similar to some extent to the
Hindko dialect of Punjabi which is spoken in Peshawar, Nowshehra, Mansehra all these areas lie in the
North West Frontier Province of Pakistan where majority language is Pashto, but Hindko speakers area
also found in sizable numbers.
Jhangvi
The region where Jhangvi is spoken stretches from Khanewal to Jhang and includes the cities of
Faisalabad, Chiniot. Jhangvi dialect is also called the “Jangli” dialect of Punjabi.
Multani
The dialect spoken in Multan, Bahawalpur, Khairpur, Daira Ghazi Khan, Muzafar Garh i.e., southern
deserts of Punjab is called Multani (also Lehndi by some) and perhaps differs from Punjabi more than
any other dialect. Those who closely know the dialect say that it is a very “mithi boli.” This is the land of
Muslim Sufis, perhaps “Shah Shams Sabazwari” who came to Multan in 1165 AD was the first in a long
series of Sufis to base themselves in Multan. Multani becomes more and more different as you move
down south, as the influence of Sindhi increases, it is also known as Siraiki there. Siraiki itself is Sindhi
word and means northern.
More Information regarding Punjabi by Serjinder Singh
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The Newsletter of the Canberra Sikh Association
The cliché that Guru Angad Dev Ji made the Gurmukhi alphabet is patently false(It was propagated by
the enemies of Sikhism known as Handalis who wrote the distorted biography of Guru Nanak Dev Ji
called Janam Sakhi Bhai Bala).
If one reads that part of Guru Granth Sahib which is known Patti one finds that this Gurbani written by
the first Guru Ji mentions the letters of Gurmukhi by the same names as we know them today. If Guru
Angad Dev Ji made the Gurmukhi alphabet how Guru Nanak Dev Ji could have mentioned it in his bani
several decades earlier. This script known as Gurmukhi or literally the script used by Gurmukhs existed
long before.
Word Gurmukh did not necessarily refer to Gursikhs alone at that period of time but was used by Naths
and Sidhs as well. Guru Ji in his discussions with the Sidhs use this word to address them as given in the
Guru Granth Sahib under the bani titled “Sidh Ghost”. All the relevant arguments in support of the above
are given in the textbooks of degree students in Punjab who study the history of Punjabi language and
script. In Ludhiana district of Punjab there is a village named Hathoor. There is a sacred well where
pilgrims who were traders used to visit and used to get some bricks with their names and details of
donations given laid on the inside wall.
One of these is written in Gurmukhi as we know it today and gives the date, which is in thirteenth century,
which is long before Guru Nanak Dev Ji. I am referring here to the script, which is Gurmukhi.
As far as the language is concerned in Punjab the language that is and was spoken is called Punjabi.
Now this Punjabi was similar to the Punjabi that we speak in our homes even now. One can read the
Saloks of Baba Farid in Guru Granth Sahib, which even you born in the west would be able to understand
because these are in Punjabi. Baba Farid lived during the thirteenth century couple of centuries before
Guru Nanak Dev Ji. In their blind chauvinistic aim to show that the Gurmukhi script belongs only to Sikhs
and not to rest of the Punjabis these bigots have created hatred against non-Sikhs and
alienated them from their own language and past and divided the population of Punjab
on religious lines.
The Majhi was called Taxali Boli in earlier part of this century not because it is
influenced by other dialects. On the contrary it was considered by some egoist
intellectuals living around Lahore and Amritsar that the dialect they speak should be
considered standard Punjabi or authentic Punjabi and other dialects were ridiculed.
Word Taxal means mint where authentic coins are made. So, Taxali Boli like the
authentic minted coins means authentic or standard language. At present nobody
subscribes to this view. Respect shown for all dialects of Punjabi is same. In addition to
the dialects listed by you there are some more viz. Puadhi which is spoken in the area
between Chandigarh, Patiala and Ropar near the foothills. Dogri or Pahari spoken in
Jammu and Mirpur area is also considered a dialect of Punjabi.
Okay so far?
The next argument usually seems to be , why is Guru Granth Sahib so difficult to
comprehend , so it cannot be same language ? Well the language used in it is not
uniform, it contains Hindi, Braj Bhasha, Sanskrit, Marathi, Pharsee, Arabic and also ther
October - December 2014 Edition
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many dialects of Punjabi. Sometimes the words are pronounced the same as an
existing Punjabi word yet the meaning maybe different due to the origin of the word.
Furthermore as mentioned above any language is always in a state of flux, constantly
evolving.
Regarding the Gurmukhi script, it is derived from Brahmi used for Asoka’s edicts. The
Landa script is by and large Gurmukhi script without the vowel signs. In Panjabi word
Landa means an animal that has lost its tail. Thus the script, which does not have its
Siharees or Biharees or Hora, Kanna etc is similar to an animal without a tail. That is
why it is called Landa. The Landa script has been in use and still is used for writing
accounts in Bahee’s by the traders in Punjab. Otherwise the Gurmukhi script was
known long before Guruji along with the vowel signs.
An Arab mathematician mentions in tenth century of a mathematician from Punjab
whom he saw using a single letter for each numeral whereas till then the Romans and
the Arabs had been using several letters for one numeral. For instance, for three one
wrote III and for eight VIII. In Punjab at that time three was written as 3 which is nothing
but the first Gurmukhi letter of the Punjabi word tin for three and 2 is the modified first
letter of Punjabi word Do(pronounced as though) for two. No one has noticed this but I
can show conclusively that all the nine numerals (which are known as Arabic numerals
in West, but Arabs call them Hindsa, meaning brought from Hind or India)are the
different letters derived from the Punjabi count words such as Ik, Do, Tin, Chaar, Punj
etc. Indeed the Arab mathematical mentions the origin as Punjab of the Hindsas or
numerals.
So remember Punjabi is a LANGUAGE, Gurmukhi is SCRIPT.
October - December 2014 Edition
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The Newsletter of the Canberra Sikh Association
Punjabi and Gurmukhi
An article made available to Sanjhi by – S Bharpur Singh Sekhon
SUKHDEV SINGH, a former Jathedar of Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia and a pilot
who loves to land himself in the middle of the Sikh Sanggat, grapples with the issue of
learning Punjabi and immersing oneself in Gurbani.
Are they the same?
AS a little boy, I was sent to Punjabi School. So was everyone else I knew. Our parents
wanted to provide us with the tools necessary for life - as Punjabis. It was also intended
to help us read our holy scriptures and someday, be able to do our paath (Nitnem) and
as a result become good Sikhs. As life went on, I began to observe one thing: All the
Punjabi I had learnt was of no help to me when it came to understanding the Sikh
scriptures (Nitnem and the Sri Guru Granth Sahib).
I could read very well, but I didn't have the foggiest idea what I was reading (sounds
familiar doesn't it?). But in the gurdwaras, just as much in my years in England as in
Malaysia, the preachers and the missionaries kept thumping the pulpits and kept
saying: "Why are you all not teaching your children Punjabi?" And everybody would say
- "But we are!"
HOW COME, THE PEOPLE WHOSE ONLY LANGUAGE IS PUNJABI CANNOT
UNDERSTAND BAANI AND GURU GRANTH SAHIB?
And they would say: "Then how come none of them can understand what is being sung
or read in the gurdwaras?" And looking just as puzzled, they would all say: "How should
we know? You are the Gianis' who are teaching our children!"
In 1984, with the political upheaval of the Punjab, visitors to the Punjab returned home
with tales about how far the Punjabi Sikhs there had drifted from their religion. Their
ignorance of the religion and especially the Holy Scriptures was unbelievable.
This came as a great shock to most of us. How is it possible? How come, the people
whose only language is Punjabi, cannot understand the baani and the Guru Granth
Sahib?
The mystery intensified. I was at a total loss for an answer. So I kept pushing it to the
back of my mind. Then in the year 1988, a visitor came to our house and told us how
much they had enjoyed watching the television serial Mahabharat, the story of the
Hindu god Krishna, and Arjun, produced for Indian television. It came in a staggering 48
video tapes. They suggested that we, also, should try to view it.
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Months went by before the conversation came back to our minds. My family finally
found enough courage to hire from the video rental shop, the first of the 48! We still
didn't believe, not for one moment, that we were actually going to see all 48. It would
take us until forever, just to see the first 10 tapes. To see the rest would take us to
eternity!
What happened after that was totally unimagined. The story became so gripping, that it
became a family obsession. Every spare moment was spent watching Mahabharat as a
family. Some serials were so beautiful; we would watch them three times, and then
again. Although Mahabharat is based on the Hindu religion, I learnt more about spiritual
living than I had done from any other person, book or teacher before!
The Mahabharat taught me what it means to have a Guru, and my obligations as a
disciple, my obligations as a father, husband, son, brother and friend. It taught me the
meaning of truth, honesty, bravery, commitment, chastity, discipline, honour and faith.
In other words it taught me everything that my Gum would want me to learn. I was
stunned. Even the persons who had introduced it to us had only spoken of its
'entertainment' value. For us, it became our life's single most important spiritual journey.
It lasted nearly a year. At the end of it I had changed so much inwardly, I could hardly
recognise myself!
As we progressed through the serial, one thing became apparent to us. The language
spoken was not Hindi as we know it. It sounded like Hindi with the usual 'Hum Tum,
Hum Tum', but the vocabulary had very little resemblance to the Hindi I used to hear in
Hindi films! So what was it?
At the same time, we started to find that the people on screen were using the same
words as those used in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, and as in baani of our beloved Sri
Guru Gobind Singh Ji. As a matter of fact, as the serial progressed and we became
familiar with this new language, we began to understand more of our Nitnem and the Sri
Gum Granth Sahib.
Difference between Gurmukhi and Punjabi
Then I began to recall that when reading a book on Sikh theology in England, I had
come across a statement that sounded so unfamiliar, that I didn't even stop to think
about it. It said: "The Sri Guru Granth Sahib is mostly written in a language known as
brij bhasha".
And we had been taught since childhood that the language of the Sikh Scriptures was
“Gurmukhi”!
And that.... was that!
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So now, years later, the fog began to clear. I came to understand that this brij was the
language of the learned people during the time of our Gurus. It was the language used
by the Brahmins, the pundits, the gyanis and their chelas all over the land. Whereas
Sanskrit was the written language of the Hindu religious texts, the spoken language
was 'brij' or 'brij bhasha' as it is correctly called ('bhasha' means language).
Because Brij was the common language of the then religious community of India, it is
obvious why it constitutes a major part of Gurmukhi. Yes. That's right. It is brij bhasha
that is the instrument of communication of the Sikh Gurus and their baani, not Punjabi.
As the word suggests, Punjabi remains, until today only as the language of the people
of Punjab, not the language of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
Punjabi is also used in the baani, just like the many other languages like Arabic,
Persian, Marathi, Bengali etc. But it is not the dominant language. The key to
understanding Sri Guru Granth Sahib is only partly Punjbai, but more so – brij bhasha!
All around me, I saw parents frantically looking for Punjabi teachers to tutor their
children, so that they will grow into upright Sikhs. No one I knew actually appreciated
the fact that knowing all the Punjabi in the world was not going to be of much help when
it came to our scriptures and, therefore, our religion.
It is Brij Bhasha that is the instrument of Communication of the Sikh Gurus and their
Baani, not Punjabi (My view is: Brij Bhasha may be the main language used as
mentioned above many other languages are also used).
It is just like the Muslims in Malaysia or Indonesia. They can learn all the jawi they want,
but they won't have more than a clue as to what is the content of the Holy Quran. That's
because jawi only uses Arabic alphabets (writing). The spoken language of jawi is
Malay, not Arabic! An unknowing observer will look at jawi and think it is Arabic. It is.
But when you read it, it will be Malay. It is the same with Urdu, the national language of
Pakistan, and Persian. These languages also use the Arabic script to write their words,
but they are all completely different languages from Arabic!
In our case, the scenario is reversed. In the example given above, the spoken language
is original to the people who use it. But it is the written script that is borrowed from
another place (Arabia).
In the case of us Sikhs, our written script (varan mala) is original as it was created by
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. But the spoken word is borrowed heavily from brij bhasha, the
language of the learned people of India. What is Gurmukhi?
Now that you are thoroughly confused, let me tell you this. What I have said earlier only
goes to demonstrate that Punjabi is not Gurmukhi and Gurmukhi is not "only" Punjabi.
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Of course my statement is exaggerated. But I am intentionally doing that, to drive the
point home, because although it is not the whole truth, it is not far from the truth.
So, if Gurmukhi is not Punjabi, what really is Gurmukhi? Well, it is a little bit of Punjabi,
a little Arabic and Persian, a sprinkling of Indian languages and a lot of brij bhasha, but
using the written script (varn mala) as created by Guru Nanak. And this is what has
caused all the confusion. Because Punjabi and Gurmukhi both use the same written
script (varrn mala), we all grew up thinking that Punjabi and Gurmukhi are one and the
same. And we all grew up thinking that to understand the Guru's baani we must all
improve our Punjabi. As your own personal experience must have taught you, that is
not totally untrue. Punjabi and Gurmukhi are like Jawi and Arabic. They both use the
same written script (Arabic), but as languages, are some distance apart! But what has
this got to do with you? I'll tell you. If you don't realise that Punjabi and Gurmukhi are
two different languages, you can try until your eyeballs tum blue, you will never be able
to make out the message in the Guru Granth Sahib or your Nitnem (without the help of
the English translation, I mean!) Not to mention that you could spend the rest of your life
wondering what the raagis in the gurdwara are singing and why the gyanis can't (for
heaven's sake) speak 'your' language! The mystery unfolds when you realise that while
the former are singing in Gurmukhi, the latter are speaking it. And we, armed with only
our Punjabi, are sitting in the Darbar Sahib wondering what it is all about. Actually, most
of us have simply resigned to the fact that no one actually understands what's going on
either and sit around, hoping to catch the odd word that we can understand. And so as
not to disappoint us, the gurdwara management always save the day by way of the
secretary giving us some messages at the end. This we always understand because
they are given in Punjabi?
So, how has this knowledge helped me? Well, as soon as my wife and I became aware
of this paradox, we realised that if we didn't use this knowledge to connect the situation,
our children are also going to grow up just like us, totally ignorant of the content of the
scriptures. The first thing that we did was to start using as much Gurmukhi vocabulary
at home as we possibly could. The results are tremendous. My children have adapted
well and sometimes leave me surprised with the new words that they use. Now this
social experiment has gone beyond the four walls of our home. I use Gurmukhi freely,
with my friends, relatives, extended family and the kirtan stage. If I sense that someone
has not understood me well, I repeat myself in Punjabi or English, as the situation
demands. But it is important that the reader understands that I speak Gurmukhi to
improve myself and not to educate other people. If I don't constantly practise, I will soon
lose everything I have acquired.
As for the serious young Sikhs out there, I hope I have been able to give you an
appreciation of the fact that Punjabi and Gurmukhi are significantly different and that the
answer to your spiritual growth lies in Gurmukhi, not Punjabi alone.
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It is my sincere hope that the Sikh community produce Sikhs who speak Gurmukhi and
teachers who teach Gurmukhi instead of only the Punjabi that we are used to. We must
recognise that they are not the same. This has to be understood, before we can
progress any further. This could be a very important step to solve this problem of this
most familiar statement of young gurdwara goers: "I don't understand anything that's
being said in the Gurdwara!" Another one is: "Why should I do paath? I don't
understand a word of it anyway".
Sikhs must now understand and accept that Gurmukhi is a unique language in its own
right. As preached and sometimes argued by 'scholars', it is not just a script. Continue
to believe that, and future generations of Sikhs will continue like us, reading English
translations!
Words have been introduced into Gurmukhi from many neighbouring languages, Middle
Eastern and Indian, and it is not possible to hope to learn all those languages. It is
easier to just improve our Gurmukhi vocabulary, by accepting it as a new and separate
language introduced by Guru Sahib, Guru Baba Nanak, as compared to the Punjabi
language that has existed from centuries beyond. Nothing less than the re-defining of
this status of Gurmukhi is going to provide the impetus for a re-look at our strategy for
making Gurbani a meaningful part of every Sikhs own life. Otherwise, we will continue
to depend on English translations to educate ourselves about our religion. And what a
joke that will be!
Editor’s note: As in other material that appears in THE SIKH, we welcome feedback
from readers on this matter: You can write in or simply send us an email.
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Benefits of Waheguru Simran
S Bharpur Singh
Mobile: 0470376065
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Pothi Dada Ji ki - 1
An article by - Mrs Paramjit Kour
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Pothi Dada Ji ki - 2
An article by - Mrs Paramjit Kour
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SANJHI – NOTICE BOARD
1.
CSA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS 2014 - 2015
President
Vice President
Jasdeep Sidhu Randhawa
Amardeep Singh
Mobile: 0411773260
Mobile: 0403588352
Secretary
Assistant Secretary
Madhusudan Singh
Jasbir S Gidda
Mobile: 0433874609
Mobile: 0404900277
Treasurer
Assistant Treasurer
Surjit S Kang
Vickram S Grewal
Mobile: 0438847416
Mobile: 0435141252
Executive Committee Member
Executive Committee Member
Mulkhbir S Grewal
Ranjit S Kang
Mobile: 0435046481
Mobile: 0432473821
Executive Committee Member
Ex Officio
Ramanpreet Singh
Bharpur S Sekhon
Mobile: 0433882996
Mobile: 0410510106
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2. Sikh Calender 2015
http://www.calendarlabs.com/calendars/religious/sikh-calendar.php
Sikh Festival Calender 2015
Sikh Holiday Dates in 2015
January 2015
05
Monday
Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh
13
Tuesday
Lohri
31
Saturday
Birthday of Guru Har Rai (Nanakshahi calendar)
06
Friday
Hola Mohalla
14
Tuesday
Baisakhi (Khalsa)
18
Saturday
Birthday of Guru Angad Dev (Nanakshahi calendar)
18
Saturday
Birthday of Guru Tegh Bahadur (Nanakshahi calendar)
02
Saturday
Birthday of Guru Arjan Dev (Nanakshahi calendar)
23
Saturday
Birthday of Guru Amar Das (Nanakshahi calendar)
June 2015
16
Tuesday
Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev (Nanakshahi calendar)
July 2015
05
Sunday
Birthday of Guru Hargobind (Nanakshahi calendar)
23
Thursday
Birthday of Guru Har Krishen (Nanakshahi calendar)
October 2015
09
Friday
Birthday of Guru Ram Das (Nanakshahi calendar)
November 2015
11
Wednesday
Diwali
24
Tuesday
Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur (Nanakshahi
calendar)
25
Wednesday
Guru Nanak Jayanti
March 2015
April 2015
May 2015
3. Sending your article for printing in Sanjhi
If you have an article related to Community News, Sikh Religion, Gurdwara Sahib,
Current Affairs, Poetry, Jokes, and similar other articles and wish to publish this in your
favorite Sanjhi then please send them to Tejinder Singh Hunjon at email:
[email protected]
ThankyouforyourContributionstoSANJHI.
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